Many churches begin the year with a 21-day Daniel Fast: three weeks of simple, plant-based eating, set apart for prayer and seeking God together. It's one of the most widely practiced forms of 21 days of prayer and fasting, and it tends to go deeper when a whole small group or congregation walks through it side by side.
This guide is for pastors, small group leaders and anyone joining a church fast in January 2027. It covers where the Daniel Fast comes from, the guidelines most churches use, typical start dates, and a simple three-week rhythm for doing it as a group: prayer partners, a shared scripture plan and a daily check-in that keeps people encouraged.
What is the Daniel Fast?
The Daniel Fast is a partial fast based on two passages in the book of Daniel.
Daniel 1. Daniel and his friends, taken to Babylon, resolved not to defile themselves with the king's food and wine. They asked to be given only vegetables and water for ten days. At the end of the ten days they looked healthier than the young men who ate from the king's table (Daniel 1:8 to 16).
Daniel 10. Later, during a season of mourning and prayer, Daniel writes: "I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled" (Daniel 10:3, KJV). That three-week period is where the 21-day Daniel Fast gets its length.
The point of the fast is not the food. It's a season of humbling yourself, praying, and making space for God, with a simple diet as the outward sign. Many churches describe it as giving up something good to seek something better.
Common Daniel Fast guidelines
There is no single official list, and churches vary. Some follow a strict version, some a simpler one. Check what your church is asking for before you start. The guidelines below are the ones most commonly used.
Usually eaten:
- All fruits and vegetables, fresh, frozen or dried (without added sugar)
- Whole grains, such as brown rice, oats, quinoa and barley
- Beans, lentils and other legumes
- Nuts and seeds, and natural nut butters
- Unleavened whole grain bread and tortillas (without yeast or sugar)
- Healthy oils for cooking, in moderation
- Herbs and spices
Usually avoided:
- Meat, fish and eggs
- Dairy products
- Sugar and sweeteners of every kind, including honey and syrups
- Leavened bread and anything made with yeast
- Processed and refined foods, white flour and white rice
- Deep-fried foods
- Alcohol, and for many people caffeine as well
To drink: water is the main drink, following Daniel 1. Some churches allow unsweetened plant milk or herbal tea.
A note on health
A Daniel Fast is a significant change to how you eat. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have diabetes, take regular medication, have a history of disordered eating, or have any ongoing health condition, please talk to your doctor before you begin. Many churches encourage people in these situations to take part in a modified way, for example a partial fast or a fast from media, without changing their diet. That is a full and faithful way to join in.
When do churches start the 21-day Daniel Fast?
Most churches start in the first or second week of January, so the fast frames the opening of the year. For January 2027, the common options are:
| Start | End | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday January 3 | Saturday January 23 | Starts on the first Sunday of the year |
| Monday January 4 | Sunday January 24 | Three full weeks, Monday to Sunday |
| Sunday January 10 | Saturday January 30 | Gives people a week after the holidays to prepare |
Whatever date your church picks, announce it before Christmas. People need time to plan meals, clear their kitchens and, if needed, speak to their doctor.
How to do the Daniel Fast as a group
Fasting alone can be lonely, especially around day 8 when the novelty is gone and the coffee cravings are not. A group changes that. Ecclesiastes says it plainly: "Two are better than one... For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow" (Ecclesiastes 4:9 to 10, KJV).
1. Pair everyone with a prayer partner
Before the fast begins, pair people up, or let them choose. Prayer partners pray for each other daily, share one short update, and are the first person to reach out when someone is struggling. Two people is the right size: big enough to share, small enough that nobody can drift unnoticed.
2. Share one scripture plan
Give the whole group the same daily reading, so everyone is thinking about the same passage each day. Simple options for 21 days:
- The book of Daniel (12 chapters) in the first 12 days, then Psalms for the rest
- The Gospel of Mark (16 chapters) plus a psalm a day
- One psalm and one chapter of Proverbs each day
3. Keep a light daily check-in
A daily check-in is not about keeping score. Jesus warns against fasting to be seen by others (Matthew 6:16 to 18), and a good group respects that. Keep the check-in about prayer and reading, not about food: "Read today's passage, prayed for my partner."
Many groups use a group chat. Some use Daily Pact: the small group starts one pact called something like "Prayed and read today", and everyone checks in with one tap after their prayer time. You'll get a notification when your prayer partner checks in, which is often the nudge to pray for them by name. If someone has gone quiet for a couple of days, you can send them a nudge, a small "we're praying for you" without anyone having to explain themselves. It's quieter than a busy group chat, and nobody has to post anything they'd rather keep private.
4. Meet once a week
Gather once a week, in person or online, to pray together and share what God has been doing. Keep it simple: a passage, a time of prayer, a shared Daniel Fast meal if you meet in person.
5. Encourage, don't police
Some people will slip on day 5 with a cup of coffee or a slice of toast. Grace matters more than precision. Encourage them to pick it up again the next day. The fast is an offering, not a test.
Illness is different. If someone comes down with flu in week two and their doctor tells them to eat normally, they haven't failed the fast, and the group shouldn't treat it that way.
A simple three-week rhythm
A theme for each week helps a group pray in the same direction.
| Week | Theme | Focus for prayer | Suggested reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Surrender | Humility, confession, laying down the year ahead | Daniel 1 to 4, Psalm 51 |
| Week 2 | Seeking | Intercession for family, church, city and the world | Daniel 5 to 9, Matthew 6 |
| Week 3 | Expectation | Thanksgiving, listening, God's direction for the year | Daniel 10 to 12, Isaiah 40 |
A daily pattern that fits most schedules:
- Morning: read the day's passage and pray for 10 to 15 minutes (a daily reminder in Daily Pact at the same time each morning helps in the first week)
- Midday: a short prayer for your prayer partner, often at lunchtime when the fast is most noticeable
- Evening: check in with your group and give thanks for the day
Running it as a whole church
For a church-wide fast, the same structure scales: prayer partners, small groups, one reading plan, one weekly gathering. The hardest part is usually keeping a few hundred people connected for three weeks.
If you use Daily Pact for this, one person can cover the whole church group with a Group plan, so members join free and never see a paywall. A Group plan covers up to 50 people for $249.99 a year ($24.99 a month), or up to 200 for $499.99 a year. It is bought in the app by the organizer (open your group and tap Cover your whole group). Group plans have no free trial. You can invite everyone with a link in the church group chat, a pasted email list or a QR code on the screen on Sunday. The email list is often the easiest for a church office: paste up to 200 addresses, and you can see who has opened the invite and who has joined, so small group leaders know who to follow up with before the fast begins. See Daily Pact for groups for details.
If prayer and fasting is part of a wider set of faith goals for the year, our guide to Christian New Year's resolutions has more ideas, and our hub on goals for the new year covers the rest.
After the 21 days
Many people find the end of a Daniel Fast is where the real question starts: what do we carry forward? Some groups keep the morning reading. Some keep their prayer partners for the whole year. Some choose one day a week to continue fasting.
A good way to close the fast is a shared meal and an evening of testimony, so people can hear what God did in each other's lives. Then ask everyone to pick one habit to keep. If you need ideas for keeping it going, read how to keep New Year's resolutions, or find someone to keep going with in our guide to finding an accountabilibuddy.
FAQ
What is the 21-day Daniel Fast? A partial fast based on Daniel 1 and Daniel 10, where for three weeks people eat a simple, plant-based diet and drink mainly water, while setting time apart for prayer and scripture.
Can you drink coffee on the Daniel Fast? Most Daniel Fast guidelines leave out caffeine, and water is the main drink. Some churches allow herbal tea. If you drink a lot of coffee, cutting down in late December makes the first week easier.
Is bread allowed on the Daniel Fast? Leavened bread made with yeast is usually avoided, based on Daniel 10:3. Unleavened whole grain bread or tortillas without sugar or yeast are generally allowed.
When should our church start 21 days of prayer and fasting in 2027? The most common start dates are Sunday January 3 or Monday January 4, ending January 23 or 24. Some churches start on Sunday January 10 to give people a week to prepare.
Who should not do the Daniel Fast? If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have diabetes, take medication or have any health condition, talk to your doctor first. You can still take part through prayer, scripture and a non-food fast such as a media fast.
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